Some embodiments described herein relate generally to switch fabric systems, and, in particular, to methods and apparatus for configuration binding in a distributed switch within a switch fabric system.
Some known distributed switches within a switch fabric system can associate a module identifier (e.g., a serial number) to a named block to specify configuration information that belongs to which module. Such a method does not allow, however, for physical replacement of components without a corresponding change in configuration information by an administrator. For example, replacement of an edge device (e.g., an access switch) within a switch fabric can involve changing the configuration information to associate the identity of the new edge device (i.e., replacement edge device) with the configuration information of the edge device that is being replaced. Although such an approach can be appropriate in some deployments of the distributed switch, it may be desirable in other deployments to provide additional modes of operation and configuration associations.
Accordingly, a need exists for the ability to provide configuration binding associations within a distributed switch fabric system to allow for physical replacement and/or movement of components of the distributed switch fabric system without a change in configuration information associated with that component.